Background: Various parts of Pandanus foetidus Roxb. are used as traditional medicines. However, scientific reports concerning the effect of this plant on central nervous system (CNS) depression and analgesia are unavailable. This study investigated the CNS depressant and antinociceptive effects of Pandanus foetidus leaf extracts in a rodent model. Methods: The sedative and anxiolytic activities of Pandanus foetidus extract (500 g) were tested using behavioural models of Swiss albino mice, and the analgesic activity was assessed by formalin-induced pain and tail immersion tests at 200 mg/kg body weight of the mice. The data were analysed by a one-way ANOVA, a repeated measure of ANOVA and a non-parametric test (Kruskal-Wallis test) using the SPSS software. Acute toxicity was tested using an established method. Results: Compared with the aqueous fraction, the methanol, petroleum ether and chloroform fractions of the extract exhibited a more significant (P < 0.001) reduction of locomotor activity in the mice in the open field, hole-cross, and elevated plus maze (EPM). The methanol fraction maximized the duration of sleeping time caused by the thiopental sodium induction. The extract produced a significant step-down in pain, as shown by the paw licking time in the early and late phases of the formalin test. In the tail immersion test, the chloroform fraction maximally reduced the heat-induced analgesia. The extract was found to be non toxic. Conclusion: The methanol, petroleum ether, and chloroform fractions of P. foetidus have strong CNS depressant and antinociceptive effects and thus merit further pharmaceutical studies.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the antioxidant, antibacterial and cytotoxic activity of whole Leucas aspera (Labiatae) (L. aspera) alcoholic extract.

METHODSWhole L. aspera powder was extracted by absolute ethanol (99.50%). The ethanolic extract was subjected to antioxidant, antibacterial and brine shrimp lethality assay.

RESULTSThe extract showed potent radical scavenging effect (antioxidant) with IC50 value of (99.58±1.22) µg/mL which was significant (P<0.01) in comparison to ascorbic acid with IC50 value of (1.25±0.95) µg/mL. In case of antibacterial screening, the extract showed notable antibacterial effect against the tested microbial strains. Significant (P<0.05) zone of inhibitions against Gram positive Bacillus subtilis [(12.00±1.32) mm] and Bacillus megaterium [(13.00±1.50) mm], Staphylococcus aureus [(8.00±0.50) mm] and Gram negative Salmonella typhi [(6.00±0.50) mm], Salmonella paratyphi [(8.00±1.00) mm], Shigella dysenteriae [(9.00±1.32) mm] and Vibrio cholerae [(9.00±0.66) mm] was observed. In brine shrimp lethality bioassay, the extract showed the LC50 value as (181.68±2.15) µg/mL which was statistically significant (P<0.01) compared to positive control vincristine sulfate [LC50=(0.76±0.04) µg/mL].

CONCLUSIONSThe results demonstrate that the ethanolic extract of L. aspera could be used as antibacterial, pesticidal and various pharmacologic actives.

Animals ; Anti-Bacterial Agents ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Antioxidants ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Artemia ; drug effects ; Biphenyl Compounds ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug ; Inhibitory Concentration 50 ; Lamiaceae ; chemistry ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Phytochemicals ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Picrates ; antagonists & inhibitors ; Plant Extracts ; chemistry ; pharmacology ; Toxicity Tests

Objective: To evaluate the antibacterial and antifungal effects of cadmium(II) complexes with hexamethyltetraazacyclotetradecadiene ligands. Methods: Five coordinated square pyramidal cadmium(II) complexes and six coordinated square octahedral cadmium(II) complexes have been synthesized by interaction of 5,7,7,12,14,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-4,11-diene (denoted by L.2HClO

Over the past few decades, complementary and alternative treatments have become increasingly popular worldwide. The purported therapeutic characteristics of natural products have come under increased scrutiny both in vitro and in vivo as part of efforts to legitimize their usage. One such product is tea tree oil (TTO), a volatile essential oil primarily obtained from the native Australian plant, Melaleuca alternifolia, which has diverse traditional and industrial applications such as topical preparations for the treatment of skin infections. Its anti-inflammatory-linked immunomodulatory actions have also been reported. This systematic review focuses on the anti-inflammatory effects of TTO and its main components that have shown strong immunomodulatory potential. An extensive literature search was performed electronically for data curation on worldwide accepted scientific databases, such as Web of Science, Google Scholar, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Scopus, and esteemed publishers such as Elsevier, Springer, Frontiers, and Taylor & Francis. Considering that the majority of pharmacological studies were conducted on crude oils only, the extracted data were critically analyzed to gain further insight into the prospects of TTO being used as a neuroprotective agent by drug formulation or dietary supplement. In addition, the active constituents contributing to the activity of TTO have not been well justified, and the core mechanisms need to be unveiled especially for anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects leading to neuroprotection. Therefore, this review attempts to correlate the anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory activity of TTO with its neuroprotective mechanisms.
Tea Tree Oil/therapeutic use* ; Melaleuca ; Neuroprotection ; Drug Repositioning ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases ; Australia ; Oils, Volatile ; Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology*